starting a new job worrying about online stuff.

Ok so next week I start a new job working full time for a big advertising agency, one of the biggest in the world, the opportunities are endless.

Now I am worried about my extensive online activities.

I have around 70 content websites,

1 SEO company online.

Endless Social media and

Ive made the company aware of all this stuff, in my resume and during the interviews.

But what would you guys do, I am thinking I might need to sell the SEO company. And the 70 sites some are boarder line trademark problems might need to sell them too.

And one gone from building your own online empire to working with a big company...

What position are you being hired on as and are you being forced to sign a non-compete?

ForeverNever said:

What position are you being hired on as and are you being forced to sign a non-compete?

Click to expand...

SEO/Social media specialist role.

Its full time, They said their sending me the contract in the mail,

"non-compete" is more a contract in the USA, but I can see what you meant they havn't mentioned any thing about it. I don't see the problem with running generic hobby style sites I own. But I can see this SEO company I have is going to need to go.

Will have to go over it in depth...

Sorry I'm American. I assume everyone else is too.

But I guess I'm confused. What question are you asking?

Well if you want to sell and get rid of them cheap you could help out one of your Black Hat brethern here. Link me - Hint Hint...

Just joking well partial joking anyway.

In answer to your question I would for sure wait to see the contract first before doing anything. Then I would also contact the person who hired you at the company and ask the question. If it was on your resume they already should know about it and maybe it isn't a problem for them. They might be so big they wouldn't care and maybe it would even be an asset for them.

Just an idea. Congrats on the job.

since you disclosed your websites to them, its up to them on what
you need to do with them (the sites) to secure the job.
they may ask you to sign a non-compete agreement, due
to a conflict of interest, or quite frankly --- whatever
they want, the question is what will you agree to?
I would transfer ownership to a trust or an anonamous corp.

next time I wouldnt claim ownership of any of those sites, but instead
call myself...webmaster... or... director of internet marketing...etc
you really dont want to be an owner/entreprenuer when applying for
a job because 1.if youre the owner you can lie about everything
2.entrepreneur vs worker is really the experience we are talking about --
you might make the best entrepreneur, but can you and would you
take orders? or steal my customers etc etc

Ive gone over the contact for this job a few times, its 30 pages of legal mumbo jumbo.

Basically it doesn't say any thing about owning sites ie generic sites in a network.

Yet it does have a section about owning a business in a similar niche while working for the company, and not been able to do work for the company's clients for a period of 6 months after you stop working for the company, So I think the best Idea would be to sell of this SEO company I own, I mean it ranks for some great local terms and generates leads.

Yeah originally I had a resume saying how much I was making, I applied for a few company's they called me and said WTF why do you want to work for us if your making this much online, but that was with the small company's with like 40 people...

In the interview the guy asked me how I metonize my network I told him via CPC/ CPM/ CPA ect ect and how much I make...

i wouldnt sell it unless you can get something rediculous with a residual pay. its possible to set up an anonymous corp, put it in a relatives name or whatever....... thn deceide what leads you will work and which you will pass on for a commision etc.

for the next time... a good response to why would you want to work for someone when yourmaking x for yourself.

"ive set up my business so that it is completely passive, and generating income automatically. so ive freed up a considerable amount of time in which I can now offer my expertise to others....looking for x,y,x" and if it fits add this... "plus for x amt of time ive been working primarily from my 1 bedroom apt. and getting out of the house and into a real office/corp/business enviroment offers an attractive change of pace for me.... you can understand that... right?"

the fact that you have money... expertise and no real need for the job makes it more likely that you will get the job.

I all ready have got the job...

Nah I work out of my office at my home, I also offer to meet clients, which I have done a few times...I did think about renting office space getting bigger ect ect...

I have been doing SEO for about 5 years, Social Media for about the same time too...

Ive worked with over 60 clients over the last two years...

But I feel that this job with the company is something that could lead to great things. It's a world wide company in over 60 different countries. Sure having your own business is great I know because it gives you security to do what you want, and run the business how you want. I am young only just turned 22 and I feel I need the corporate experience, I would not just join any shitty company this company is huge.

I really want to give it my best shot, and it will be great for things on my resume in the future...

Sure I have sold sites for $20,000+ a few times in the past, run many different companies SEO/ Marketing, done eBay companies sold over 1000 products in a year via that when I was 17 lol imported items from over seas....

But I have never worked for a large company in my field, doing what I love. Yeah I know I am going to be making all the money for them and not for me, but its the experience I want..

Finally even if this job is shit when I start it, and I have sold my SEO/social media company, its not the end of the world, I have got about 50 other websites, some with great 4 character domains 1000s of pages, 100,000 of links I can just turn a existing domain into a new SEO company in a week.

Honestly I would not worry about it. The company you work for is not going to be liable for what an employee does in there off time. Plus this was done before you even started working for them. If you disclosed it these things in the interview and they did not say anything then they are probably fine with it.

I think you'll be fine, its good to have it on the side encase things happen you should always keep your plan b as long as it doesn't disturb your employer

Jesus, how much are these guys paying you? I could use someone with your skill set working for my company! LOL. I think you have one option here that will keep you safe with everything. Make them put in writing that they are okay with everything that you have built up to this point and make sure they let you run it still. You can simply tell them that you have out-sourced the work and that you aren't going to be doing it while working for them. They would really never know the difference. You should DEFINITELY get it in writing though before moving forward. The last thing you want to do is to destroy everything you have built to this point and then have them let you go due to "detrimental conduct towards the company." I know that seems far-fetched, but I've seen it done. Good luck! And if it doesn't work out, let me know, I would be happy to add someone with your skill set to my payroll.

This company sounds huge and in comparison, your activities seem huge/1mm. Since you've already spilled the beans and they still hired you, they simply don't care and/or understand your other ventures are small potatoes, and will remain that way. Unless a manager suspects you're working on your projects on their time, you should be in the clear. And if the no-compete is as simple as you say, the only thing to worry about is intellectual property. If you start developing tools/methods on the company's time and use them for your own ventures, a company has potential recourse. However, this is tough to prove and assumes that someone there really doesn't like you. A company like you describe has much better things to worry about. Keep all your web properties. Just don't talk about them at work. Ever.